Welfare Reform Act 2012

 

 

Ping Pong: House of Commons | 14.02.2012

After third reading: Consideration of amendments

The bill is now with the House of Commons (Since 01/02/12) for the government to consider the seven amendments made in the House of Lords.

 

Welfare Reform Bill 2010-11

 

The Welfare Reform Bill cleared the House of Lords on 31 January 2012, having suffered a total of seven defeats at the hands of peers.

Earlier, the Lords rejected plans to cut some of the benefits given to children on the lower rate of Disability Living Allowance.

Ministers had wanted to reduce the amount of money paid to disabled children who do not need care at night – such as the profoundly deaf or those with Down Syndrome.

But peers threw out the proposals when they supported an amendment tabled by crossbencher Baroness Meacher by 16 votes.

Later analysis of the vote showed that two Conservative peers rebelled against the government, along with seven Liberal Democrats.

Ministers say the bill represents the biggest shakeup of the welfare system for over 60 years, but its passage through the House of Lords has been less than smooth.

The government has said it will seek to overturn the seven defeats it has suffered, including one led by the Bishop of Ripon and Leeds over capping child benefit, when the bill returns to the Commons on 1 February.

The bill introduces the Universal Credit, a new benefit payable to people both in and out of work, that will replace Income Support, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, income-related Employment and Support Allowance, Housing Benefit, Child Tax Credit and Working Tax Credit.

It also introduces the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) to replace Disability Living Allowance (DLA), which requires up-front medical tests and regular health re-assessments for claimants.

 

LATEST ON THE BILL

3rd reading (Part Two)   31 January 2012

3rd reading (Part One)   31 January 2012

3RD Reading : House of Lords 31 January, 2012

Government suffers 1 defeat.

Coalition Government wants:-
1) To reduce the amount of money paid to disabled children who do not need care at night, such as the profoundly deaf or those with Down Syndrome, arguing that it would help direct more support towards the most severely disabled.

Peers voted by 246 to 230, majority of 16, to reject plans to cut some of the benefits given to children on the lower rate of Disability Living Allowance (DLA)

 

Report: 6th sitting: House of Lords 25 January, 2012

January 25th – House of Lords
Welfare Reform Bill: Report (Day 6 of 6)   6th Sitting
Government suffers 1 defeat.

Coalition Government wants:-
1)  To charge single parents to use the Child Support Agency.
The peers amendment was passed by 270 to 128, majority 142

 

Report: 5th sitting: House of Lords 23 January, 2012

Members of the Lords voted twice last night with one government win and one defeat.

The first vote (division), Amendment 58D moved by Lord McKenzie of Luton (Labour), to exclude vulnerable people from the cap on benefits was lost by 222 votes to 250.

The second vote, Amendment 59 moved by The Lord Bishop of Ripon and Leeds, to exclude child benefits from the benefit cap was won by 252 votes to 237.

 

Report: 4th sitting: House of Lords 17 January, 2012

Lords reject proposed amendment to pilot the new disability payments scheme.

Members of the Lords voted 229 to 213, with a government majority of 16, to reject Baroness Grey-Thompson‘s (Crossbench) amendment proposing a pilot of the new disability payments scheme during the latest round of detailed examination of the Welfare reform Bill on 17 January.

 

Report: 3rd sitting: House of Lords 11 January, 2012

January 11th – House of Lords
Welfare Reform Bill: Report (Day 3 of 6)   3rd Sitting
Government suffers 3 defeats.

 

Coalition Government wants:-
1) To remove the so-called “youth provision” that allows some young people to receive contributory ESA even though – due to disability or illness – they have not been able to work and build up National Insurance
The peers amendment was passed by 260 to 216, majority 44

2) To impose a one year time-limit on cancer patients claiming ESA. Peers agreed to crossbench peer Lord Patel’s move to replace the cap with the ability for the government to introduce secondary legislation specifying a limit of not less than two years.
The peers amendment was passed by 234 votes to 186, a majority of 48.

3) To remove the time limit altogether for people while they were undergoing treatment for cancer
The peers amendment was passed by 222 votes to 166 – majority 56.

Lists of Members of the House of Lords

Members of the House of Lords contribute their expertise and knowledge to Parliament and its work. Find out more about Members of the Lords, including their biographical and contact details. Click on the link above.

 

Summary of the Bill

The Bill provides for the introduction of a ‘Universal Credit’ to replace a range of existing means-tested benefits and tax credits for people of working age, starting from 2013. The Bill follows the November 2010 White Paper, ‘Universal Credit: welfare that works’, which set out the Coalition Government’s proposals for reforming welfare to improve work incentives, simplify the benefits system and tackle administrative complexity.

Besides introducing Universal Credit and related measures, the Bill makes other significant changes to the benefits system.

Key areas

  • introduces Personal Independence Payments to replace the current Disability Living Allowance
  • restricts Housing Benefit entitlement for social housing tenants whose accommodation is larger than they need
  • up-rates Local Housing Allowance rates by the Consumer Price Index
  • amends the forthcoming statutory child maintenance scheme
  • limits the payment of contributory Employment and Support Allowance to a 12-month period
  • caps the total amount of benefit that can be claimed.

During the Committee Stage, the Government amended the Bill to provide for the establishment of a Social Mobility and Child Poverty Commission.

 

Stay up to date

Keep up to date with the progress of Bills going through Parliament. Sign up for email alerts or use our RSS feeds.

 

Welfare Reform Bill 2010-11

 

Permanent link to this article: https://operationfatherhood.org/welfare-reform-bill-2010-11/